Kittitian among new citizens of the United States

This Nikki Boertman photo shows Austin Dickenson, originally from St. Kitts in the West Indies, waves to loved ones in the crowd after the ceremony.

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, JULY 5TH 2012 (CUOPM) – At least one national of St. Kitts and Nevis is known to be among 100 persons who became citizens of the United States on Wednesday.

The Commercial Appeal of Memphis, Tennessee said Austin Dickenson, said to be from St. Kitts was among 103 persons who were sworn in as a citizen of the United States before the Redbirds game at AutoZone Park on Wednesday.

The persons raised their right hands, eager to recite the Oath of Allegiance before the Redbirds took the field this Fourth of July.

As they repeated the oath’s final words and their hands began to lower, smiles rose on the faces of all the newly sworn in United States citizens.

The feeling of becoming a U.S. citizen was one 19-year-old Andre Shibata could only describe as “purely amazing.”

Shibata, who immigrated to the United States from Brazil 6 years ago, is studying engineering at the University of Tennessee. He said he cannot wait to register to vote especially with it being a national election year.

The Memphis ceremony was 1 of 8 others that took place across the nation, including cities like Philadelphia, San Diego and New Orleans. Two naturalization ceremonies occurred abroad, one on the Kandahar Air Force Base in Afghanistan and the other at the Ambassador’s residence in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.